House of Lords Reform

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the forthcoming White Paper on House of Lords reform will fulfil their 2001 manifesto pledge that "we have given our support to the report and conclusions of the Wakeham Commission and will seek to implement them in the most effective way possible", particularly with regard to the role and powers of the Independent Appointments Commission in vetting political appointments.

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What limitations they consider should be placed on the system of prime ministerial patronage with particular reference to appointments to the House of Lords.

Lord Irvine of Lairg: The Government's proposals for the next stage of House of Lords reform were laid before Parliament as a Command Paper The House of Lords—Completing the Reform (Cm 5291) on Wednesday 7 November 2001.
	Paragraph 65 of Cm 5291 sets out the Government's proposal for the creation of a powerful statutory Appointments Commission to manage the balance and size of the House, so the commission, not the Prime Minister, will decide on the number of political appointments for each party. The commission will assure the integrity of those nominated by the political parties. It will also have complete responsibility for the appointment of the 120 independent members.
	The Prime Minister's powers, outside that of party leader, to nominate Members of the House of Lords will be reduced to a residual power to nominate a handful of people in each Parliament to serve as Government Ministers.

House of Lords Reform

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether and, if so, how the next phase of House of Lords reform will re-engage the electorate, in view of the fact that 41 per cent of eligible voters did not vote in the 2001 general election.

Lord Irvine of Lairg: The Government's proposals for the next stage of House of Lords reform were laid before Parliament as a Command Paper The House of Lords—Completing the Reform (Cm 5291) on Wednesday 7 November 2001.
	The Government's proposals will ensure that political representation is in relation to the proportion of votes cast. They will strengthen the representation of the nations and regions within the UK and tackle the under-representation of women and ethnic minorities. The Government believe that public confidence in and engagement with Parliament will be strengthened by these reforms.

House of Lords Reform

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are the primary reasons why they do not support an elected or substantially elected second Chamber of Parliament.

Lord Irvine of Lairg: The Government's proposals for the next stage of House of Lords reform were laid before Parliament as a Command Paper (Cm 5291) on Wednesday 7 November 2001. The House of Lords—Completing the Reform outlines the Government's detailed proposals for the composition of the reformed House of Lords, and sets out, in detail, in paragraphs 37 to 41, why the Government support the view of the Royal Commission on House of Lords reform as to the undesirability of a wholly elected second Chamber.
	Paragraph 39 of the White Paper includes the critical argument: "A parallel elective basis of authority for two chambers with parallel functions would inevitably create strongly competing authorities in the same spheres . . . . Two wholly directly elected chambers within the Westminster system would be a recipe for gridlock."

European Arrest Warrant Framework Decision: ECHR Compatibility

Baroness Goudie: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What consideration has been given to the question of the compatibility with the Human Rights Act 1998 of the Council framework decision on the European arrest warrant and the surrender procedure between member states.

Lord Rooker: Paragraph 11 of the preamble to the draft framework decision states: "In order to ensure the effectiveness of the procedure, and on condition that the execution of the warrant does not lead to a violation of fundamental rights, the possibility to refuse the execution of the European arrest warrant should be limited to clearly identified circumstances."
	The Government are satisfied that decisions made under the framework decision will be European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) compliant and the United Kingdom implementing legislation will be compatible with convention rights. The question of compatibility with ECHR rights will be addressed again by the Government as part of the legislative process to implement the framework decision.

Extradition Arrangements

Baroness Goudie: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What consideration has been given to creating, as the basis for extradition between all European Union member states, arrangements along the lines of those which apply between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland; and
	Whether there are any aspects of the extradition arrangements between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland which would be inappropriate in relation to arrangements between the United Kingdom and other European Union member states.

Lord Rooker: Extradition arrangements between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland are based on the Backing of Warrants (Republic of Ireland) Act 1965 and reciprocal legislation in the Republic of Ireland. The European Commission's recent proposals for a European arrest warrant and the surrender procedures between member states and the Government's proposals published in The Law on Extradition: A Review are similar to the backing of warrants arrangements between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. We do not believe that any of the provisions of existing extradition arrangements with the Republic of Ireland are inappropriate, but the mutual recognition agenda agreed at the Tampere Special European Council in 1999 has given rise to fresh thinking on concepts like dual criminality, specialty and the political offence bar to extradition. Some of the traditional bars to extradition, which appear in our reciprocal legislation with Ireland, have been relaxed or removed in the European Commission proposals.

Boeing 727 Hijack: Asylum Applications

Lord Trefgarne: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many of the passengers on the Ariana Boeing 727 aircraft hijacked to Stansted in February 2000 applied for political asylum; how many of their applications were accepted and refused respectively; and how many of those who were refused have now been removed from the United Kingdom.

Lord Rooker: A total of 48 principal applicants and 30 dependants applied for asylum. Four principal applicants and 13 dependants have been permitted to stay following grants of asylum; 34 principal applicants and five dependants have been refused asylum. None has yet been removed from the United Kingdom. The applications of 10 other principal applicants and 12 dependants remain outstanding.

UK Passport Holders: Notification of Death

Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they started to seek to establish arrangements for the Government to receive routine notifications of death of United Kingdom passport holders; and when they expect to complete these arrangements.

Lord Rooker: We have not started to establish arrangements requiring the Government to be routinely notified of the death of United Kingdom passport holders and we have no plans to do so.

UK Passport Holders: Notification of Death

Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many passports of decreased United Kingdom passport holders were returned for cancellation during the most recent 12-month period for which records have been kept.

Lord Rooker: The United Kingdom Passport Service records for the number of passports returned for cancellation for the period October 2000 to November 2001 show that 33,786 were dealt with.

Machine-readable Passports

Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What proportion of the 43,855,981 valid British passports are machine readable; and whether they will start to record electronically the departures and arrivals of those with machine-readable passports.

Lord Rooker: The United Kingdom Passport Service issued the last old blue 10-year passport in November 1991, when the roll-out to the new passport was completed. All passports issued since then have been machine readable.
	While the Immigration Service does not currently retain the passport details of all arriving or departing passengers, it is currently urgently exploring with other control agencies the use of technology to require airlines to retain the passport details of passengers before they board a flight to or from the United Kingdom.

Somalia, FRY and Sudan: UN Sanctions

Lord Corbett of Castle Vale: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether there have been any recent changes to UN sanctions against Somalia, the Former Republic of Yugoslavia and Sudan.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: With the support of Her Majesty's Government, the range of sanctions imposed against Somalia, the FRY and Sudan has been amended by the United Nations Security Council (the "UNSC").
	On 19 June 2001 the UNSC adopted Resolution 1356(2001) introducing certain limited exemptions to the arms embargo against Somalia. The arms embargo does not now apply to the temporary export of protective clothing for use exclusively by the UN, media or humanitarian and development workers, nor to supplies of non-lethal military equipment intended solely for humanitarian or protective use.
	On 10 September 2001 the UNSC noted that the conditions called for by paragraphs 16(a) to (e) of Resolution 1160(1998) had been met by the FRY Government and subsequently decided to adopt Resolution 1367(2001) which terminated the measures called for by Resolution 1160(1998).
	On 28 September 2001 the UNSC noted the steps taken by the Government of Sudan to comply with the provisions of Resolution 1054(1996) and Resolution 1070(1996) and agreed to adopt Resolution 1372(2001) terminating the measures imposed by those resolutions.

Euro Notes and Coins

Baroness Gould of Potternewton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What information they are providing to British travellers about the effect of the introduction of euro notes and coins.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Euro notes and coins will be introduced on 1 January 2002. They will replace national notes and coins in the 12 countries that participate in the single currency. We estimate that in 2002 British citizens will make 40 million visits to those countries. We have recently launched a leaflet that provides basic factual information for UK travellers on the transition to euro notes and coins in the relevant countries. Copies of the leaflet have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
	The leaflet is a joint production with HMT and DTI. It will supplement the information already available on the FCO website (www.fco.gov.uk).

Contractors Tax: Inland Revenue Leaflet

The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the new leaflet from HM Treasury, IR2003, adequately explains liability to the IR35 contractors tax.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The recently updated Inland Revenue leaflet, IR2003, Supplying Services. How to calculate the deemed payment, explains one element of the tax and national insurance provisions affecting those providing personal services through intermediaries. It is one of several sources of information the Inland Revenue has published about these provisions. The leaflet makes appropriate cross-references to these other sources where the information they provide may be of additional help. The other sources of information specific to this legislation include a section of the Inland Revenue website, at www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/ir35; a dedicated helpline on 0845 303 3535; and a free opinions service as to whether a specific engagement is subject to the legislation.

Home Office: Race Equality Report

Lord Hoyle: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they will publish the second annual report on progress on their race equality employment targets for minority ethnic staff in the Home Department and its service areas.

Lord Rooker: We have today published a report entitled Race Equality—The Home Secretary's Employment Targets—The Second Annual Report on Progress. Copies have been placed in the Library. The targets cover recruitment, retention and career progression for minority ethnic staff in the Home Office, the prison, the police, the fire and probation services.

Mr Alun Evans

Baroness Blatch: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 24 October (WA 132) (a) when Mr Alun Evans took office as Director of Information at the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions; and when he was informed that he would be removed from his duties; and (b) what is the meaning of the phrase "in due course" in the answer by the Lord Falconer of Thoroton on the 18 October (H.L. Deb., col. 707); and whether any term of service was ever discussed with Mr Alun Evans on his appointment; and
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 24 October (WA 132) (a) who decided that Mr Alun Evans should work with Dr Iain Anderson as head of the secretariat on the enquiry into the foot-and-mouth outbreak; and how and when the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, Mr Byers, and his special adviser, Miss Moore, first became aware of this decision; and (b) whether Mr Byers was consulted on this decision; and; if so, when; and whether Mr Byers was ever informed by Miss Moore, or by officials of the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, of the circumstances set out in (a) above; and
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 24 October (WA 132) (a) whether the Permanent Secretary at the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions informed Mr Alun Evans that he was to be removed from his duties; and, if not, who did; and (b) whether the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, Mr Byers, or his special adviser, Miss Moore, were involved in any discussions or correspondence with the Permanent Secretary, the Establishment Officer or Mr Evans relating to the timing of Mr Evans' removal from his duties; and, if so, when; and
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 24 October (WA 132), when the press secretary to the Prime Minister and the Head of the Government Information Service was first informed that Mr Alun Evans would be leaving his post; and
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 24 October (WA 132), when the post of Director of Communications at the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions in succession to Mr Alun Evans was (a) first advertised, (b) interviewed for, and (c) offered.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: As is already known, Alun Evans took up appointment on 28 February 2000 as Director of Communication, Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions, having been acting director from December 1999.
	The post of Director of Communication, Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions was advertised on 9 September 2001. This is an open competition being handled in the normal way, including the full involvement of the Civil Service Commission.
	In relation to all the other issues raised by these questions, it is not appropriate to give detailed information about personal decisions or details of individual civil servants, which are exempt from disclosure under paragraph 12 of Part II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Mr Alun Evans

Baroness Blatch: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 24 October (WA 132) whether Mr Alun Evans, or any other information officer at the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, ever declined to act on a request from Miss Moore, the special adviser to the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, to publish information relating to Mr Bob Kiley or his assistants; and, if so, on what grounds.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: I refer the noble Baroness to the Answer given by my right honourable Friend the Secretary of State on 22 October 2001 [Official Report, Commons, 22/10/01 94W] in another place.

Mr Alun Evans

Baroness Blatch: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 24 October (WA 132), whether, in the light of the remarks of the Lord Peyton of Yeovil on 23 October (HL Deb, col. 921), they have any intention of revising their answer.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: No.

District Council Elections

Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which district councils in England usually hold elections for a third of the council but will hold an all-out election next May as a result of the introduction of new ward boundaries.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Forty-four district councils in England which usually hold elections for a third of the council in May next year will hold an all-out election as a result of the introduction of new ward boundaries. We are presently consulting eight other district councils which usually hold elections for a third of the council on whether to implement new ward boundaries in 2002 which would necessitate holding an all-out election. The district councils involved are:
	Essex
	The District of Harlow
	The District of Basildon
	The Borough of Brentwood
	The Borough of Colchester
	The District of Epping Forest
	The Borough of Rochford
	Gloucestershire
	The Borough of Cheltenham
	The City of Gloucester
	The District of Stroud
	Hampshire
	The Borough of Eastleigh
	The Borough of Fareham
	The Borough of Gosport
	The District of Hart
	The Borough of Havant
	The City of Portsmouth
	The Borough of Rushmoor
	The City of Southampton
	The Borough of Basingstoke and Deane
	The City of Winchester
	Kent
	The Borough of Maidstone
	The Borough of Swale
	The Borough of Tunbridge Wells
	Lancashire
	The Borough of Burnley
	The Borough of Chorley
	The Borough of Hyndburn
	The Borough of Pendle
	The Borough of Preston
	The Borough of Rossendale
	The District of West Lancashire
	North Yorkshire
	The District of Craven
	The Borough of Harrogate
	Nottinghamshire
	The District of Bassetlaw
	Somerset
	The Borough of Shrewsbury and Atcham
	Staffordshire
	The District of Cannock Chase
	The Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme
	The City of Stoke on Trent
	The Borough of Tamworth
	Suffolk
	The Borough of Ipswich
	The District of Waveney
	Warwickshire
	The Borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth
	The Borough of Rugby
	The District of Stratford on Avon
	Unitary authorities
	The City of Derby
	The City of Kingston-upon-Hull
	The following are being consulted at present:
	Bedfordshire
	The Borough of Bedford
	The District of South Bedfordshire
	East Sussex
	The Borough of Eastbourne
	The Borough of Hastings
	Oxfordshire
	The City of Oxford
	The District of Cherwell
	The District of West Oxfordshire
	Unitary authorities
	The Borough of Milton Keynes

Heavy Goods Vehicles: Inspections

Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many additional vehicle examiners and traffic examiners have been deployed in the last two years to make "on the road" checks on heavy goods vehicles.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The number of vehicle examiners increased from 252 in 1998–99 to 276 in 1999–2000 and increased again to 285 in 2000–2001. The number of traffic examiners rose from 169 in 1998–99 to 175 in 1999–2000. The number of traffic examiners remained unchanged in 2000–01, but the number of traffic examiners in post in the first half of 2001–02 has increased to 206. Examiners check heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), public service vehicles (PSVs) and other road vehicles for roadworthiness, emissions and compliance with drivers' hours and other traffic legislation. Vehicle examiners also carry out standards control checks at MOT testing stations and support the traffic commissioners in their operator licensing functions. All examiners spend a proportion of their time carrying out roadside spot checks of HGVs.

Heavy Goods Vehicles: Inspections

Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many "on the road" checks on heavy goods vehicles were made by enforcement officers during each of the last three years for which figures are available; and
	Of the heavy goods vehicles stopped by enforcement officers during the past three years for which figures are available, how many were found in breach of (a) weight limits; (b) drivers' hours regulations; (c) regulations concerning vehicle safety; or (d) other offences.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The Vehicle Inspectorate records separately the different inspections carried out on an individual vehicle by vehicle examiners and traffic examiners and therefore a figure for the number of individual vehicles stopped for examination are not available. The tables below show the number of roadside spot checks carried out by examiners and the enforcement action taken when offences have been found. The inspectorate's performance measures encourage examiners to target those vehicles that are considered most likely to be committing offences and thereby increase the effectiveness of the checks in terms of road safety and environmental protection as well as minimising delays for compliant operators.
	
		Roadworthiness Spot Checks: HGV Motor Vehicles
		
			 Year Number of Checks Prohibition Rate 
			 2000–2001 68,270 21·3% 
			 1999–2000 74,459 20·1% 
			 1998–1999 69,718 20·9% 
		
	
	Note:
	Excludes emission only checks on HGV motor vehicles but includes foreign vehicles. Only one prohibition notice is issued per vehicle although it may contain a list of defects/offences where more than one has been found. The most serious defect/offence determines whether an immediate or delayed prohibition is issued.
	
		Roadworthiness Spot Checks: HGV Trailers
		
			 Year Number of checks Prohibition Rate 
			 2000–01 22,159 20.7% 
			 1999–2000 24,046 19.0% 
			 1998–99 23,683 19.6% 
		
	
	Note:
	Excludes foreign vehicles. Only one prohibition notice is issued per vehicle although it may contain a list of defects/offences where more than one has been found. The most serious defect/offence determines whether an immediate or delayed prohibition is issued.
	
		HGV exhaust emission -- spot checks
		
			 Year Number of vehicles checked Prohibition Rate 
			 2000–01 9,832 1.0% 
			 1999–2000 14,576 0.8% 
			 1998–99 12,149 1.7% 
		
	
	
		Foreign HGV roadworthiness checks
		
			 Year Vehicles checked Prohibition Rate 
			 2000–01 3,951 9.9% 
			 1999–2000 3,684 8.5% 
			 1998–99 3,498 8.6% 
		
	
	Note:
	The Foreign Vehicles Act only provides for the issue of prohibitions for defects that cause an immediate road safety risk in the case of foreign vehicles. There is only a single VI activity code for foreign vehicles so it is not possible to separate the motor vehicle and trailer prohibition rates.
	
		HGV Examinations, Weighings and Offences Prohibited and Prosecuted
		
			Offences found and action take (Note 1) 
			Drivers Hours Tachograph and Records Overloading (Note 3) Other (Note 2) 
			  Number examined inc no. weighed Number weighed Report for prosecution Convicted Prohibit (foreign only) Report for prosecution Convicted Prohibition Report for prosecution Convicted 
			 2000–01 
			 UK 120,580 51,181 12,231 10,463   2,933 2,689 3,112 3,679 3,265 
			 Foreign 12,204 5,426 865 515 
			  
			 1999–2000 
			 UK 144,277 58,049 14,247 11,710   2,694 2,394 2,818 3,442 2,884 
			 Foreign 13,790 5,800 853 504 
			  
			 1998–99 
			 UK 179,285 70,940 10,343 8,711   3,547 3,115 4,000 4,298 3,536 
			 Foreign 13,288 4,842 841 589 
		
	
	Note 1: Some minor offences detected at the roadside are not sufficiently serious to prosecute and the driver is given an immediate verbal warning. Records of verbal warnings are not kept centrally.
	Note 2: Other category offences cover authorised use, Construction and Use, Driver Licence and other less frequently occurring offences.
	Note 3: Progressive increases in permitted weights since 1998 have reduced the likely incidence of overloading.

Buses

Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is their latest appraisal of the public information available to bus users through PTI2000 in terms of (a) availability, and (b) standard of service provided.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Traveline (formerly PTI2000) provides information on all public transport services throughout Great Britain by way of call to a single telephone number, 0870 608 2608. The service continues to make steady improvements in reliability and accuracy. The Traveline partners review performance regularly, including by mystery shopping.

Buses

Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Apart from the rural bus grant and the Travel Concessions Eligibility Bill now before Parliament what new initiatives they have in mind to promote the use of buses.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: We are encouraging bus use by a combination of policy and fiscal measures. We have just introduced strengthened powers under last year's Transport Act to enable local authorities, to improve the quality of bus services through enforceable Quality Partnerships and Quality Contract schemes. The Act also empowers authorities to require operators to participate in joint ticketing schemes, as well as enabling them to step in to provide proper passenger information, at the operators' expense, if existing arrangements are inadequate. We have also strengthened the powers of the traffic commissioners by making their financial penalty regime more flexible. We have introduced statutory requirements to ensure all new buses are fully accessible and have provided a major boost to capital investment through our funding of local transport plans. We have also provided £46 million over the three years 2001-02 to 2003-04 for our new Urban Bus Challenge competition The results of the first of the annual challenge competitions were announced on 2 November. Following consultation in the spring, we will be introducing regulations later this financial year to extend fuel duty rebate to a wide range of community transport services.

Railway Inspectorate

Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	(a) How many inspectors were employed by the Health and Safety Executive on matters concerned with railway safety in each year from 1997 to 2001, (b) and at what cost.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The figures for the number of inspectors within staffing of HM Railway Inspectorate during the end of the past five years are as follows:
	
		
			  Inspectors* 
			 31 March 1997 49 
			 31 March 1998 55 
			 31 March 1999 56 
			 31 March 2000 62 
			 31 March 2001 103 
		
	
	*The above figures represent staff in post in the HMRI on the given date.
	(b) The figures for the cost of staffing of HM Railway Inspectorate for the past five years are as follows:
	
		
			  HMRI's real outturn* 
			 1996–97 4.03 
			 1997–98 4.00 
			 1998–99 4.50 
			 1999–00 5.98 
			 2000–01 6.66 
		
	
	*Figures in £ millions at 2000–01 prices and include the cost of administrative support to inspectors.

Railtrack

Viscount Astor: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they consulted the Strategic Rail Authority before putting Railtrack into administration.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Officials informed the Strategic Rail Authority on 6 October of my right honourable friend the Secretary of State's decision to refuse Railtrack's proposal for additional government funding and of his intention to petition the High Court for a railway administration order.

Strategic Rail Authority Contracts

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 30 October (WA 155-6), in respect of each contract for professional advice valued at over £50,000 for work undertaken in the past five years and let by either the Strategic Rail Authority, the shadow Strategic Rail Authority or the Office of Passenger Franchising, what is the name of the company, the scope of work, the value of the contract(s) and the time-scale.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: This information is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Vibration Directive

Lord Glentoran: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether, in the light of the negative cost benefit analysis resulting from the Regulatory Impact Assessment on the vibration directive proposal, they will not recommend its acceptance.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The Government have already accepted the common position on the vibration directive reached on 25 June. Negotiations on the directive have succeeded in substantially reducing the costs and we consider that compliance with the directive will result in time in significant improvements in health. We intend to defend the common position against amendments proposed by the European Parliament which would cause significant problems for industry.

Driving Licences

Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What arrangements exist for the cancellation of driving licences of deceased persons.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Historically, DVLA has relied on being notified by relatives when a driving licence holder dies. If DVLA is not informed, the record will remain active on the database. However, DVLA has been working with the Office for National Statistics (ONS), resulting in periodic notifications from it. This enables a marker to be placed on records which is used to suppress reminders being generated at the expiry of a licence. This has also been useful in detection of fraudulent applications.

Physical Agents Directives

Baroness Miller of Hendon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 1 November (WA 181), what percentage of the replies given by those who responded to the consultation were unreservedly in favour of the physical agents directives; and what percentage were opposed.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: No numerical analysis has been undertaken of the comments, both written and oral, on the physical agents directives, but we are not aware of any responses unreservedly supporting or opposing the directives. There has been broad recognition of the need for legislation controlling hand-arm vibration, but also much concern and comment about the detailed provisions.

Local Government Commission for England: Transfer of Functions to Electoral Commission

Lord Hoyle: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What progress has been made on the transfer of the functions of the Local Government Commission for England to the Electoral Commission.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: We have today laid a draft of an order which, subject to parliamentary approval, we intend to make under section 18 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act to provide for the transfer of functions of the Local Government Commission for England, together with the associated functions of the Secretary of State on electoral arrangements, to the Electoral Commission with effect from 1 April 2002. Our aim is to secure a well planned transfer which avoids any disruption to the current programme of periodic electoral reviews being undertaken by the LGC or to the work programme of the Electoral Commission.

Rural Recovery Co-ordinator: October Meetings with DEFRA

Lord Jopling: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether (a) any Minister at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, (b) the Prime Minister, or (c) any special adviser at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, met the Rural Recovery Co-ordinator, Lord Haskins, in October; and if so, on which days.

Lord Whitty: The only formal meeting with my noble friend Lord Haskins in his capacity as Rural Recovery Co-ordinator during October took place on 10 October and involved officials of the department and of some of the regional development agencies. My noble friend Lord Haskins briefed Ministers on the progress of his work informally on several occasions during that period.
	It should be remembered that the main focus of his work was to look at the problems being encountered by the Cumbrian economy as a result of the outbreak of foot and mouth disease. His work involved communicating with Ministers about aspects of that situation and his report is a summary of his conclusions at the end of his period of work.

Timber Procurement Policy

Lord Glentoran: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the announcement made by Michael Meacher, Minister for the Environment, that they will "examine how best we can combat illegal logging, including export and procurement practices", and "implement a progressive programme of work to improve current purchasing practice for timber and timber products" (HC Deb, 28 July 2000, col. 947W), what action has been taken to fulfil this undertaking.

Lord Whitty: Central government departments and their agencies have been instructed to actively seek to purchase their timber from sustainable and legal sources and to report their activities to Green Ministers.
	An interdepartmental working group is monitoring progress made by departments. This group recently commissioned a scoping study to examine the scale of timber purchases across central government and will produce guidance on verifying claims made by supplies for the source of their timber products. The Government have promoted their timber procurement policy to the wider public sector at conferences and seminars.
	At an international level, our focus has been on forest governance and corruption; these issues often impede the utilisation of forest resources and sustainable development. The UK was instrumental in organising a ministerial conference in Indonesia this year to address forest law enforcement and governance in East Asia. This produced the real prospect of bilateral agreements to secure more effective controls. A similar conference is planned to address the same issues in Africa next year.